The Inner Light
by ThanatosConnery
Summary: Things aren't well in the land of Astermis. Two foreign armies threaten to invade it from two sides while strange portals open in the skies expelling foreign creatures. Just what connection does Slade and the Premiere of Astermis have with all of this?
1. Two Old Friends

**Author's Notes of Doom! :D**

**Hi everyone, I've written a few Teen Titans fanfictions before but they've all been crossovers. This is my first truly standalone fic and I hope it goes well :D.** **I will accept ideas for character creations but I don't want to spoil the plot by revealing the specifications and details just yet, wait til chapter three please :). If all goes well and I don't drive myself into insanity with this damned chemistry courseload I've foolishly put on myself I hope to continue this fanfiction into the future. I hate to ask, but please review :3. I want to know how good I'm doing as a writer and if people like the story or not.** **AND NOW, I BEGIN THIS TRAINWRECK OF GRAMMATICAL ERRORS I CALL A FANFICTION, BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA.**

Throughout the day, newspapers had been distributed throughout the small, isolated town of Taromak with a rather ominous headline, "Portal Storms rage in the South."A short, medium built man with thick, long, black hair sat in a café on Main Street near the front window, reading one of these papers that had been left by a previous patron.

"Starting on two days ago on Tuesday, a strange phenomenon began in the Southlands. Strange, glowing 'holes' have begun forming from between 1000-2000 meters in elevation off the ground. These holes have been confirmed by multiple credible eyewitnesses. Theories abound to what these they may be, but it has been there is believed to be a link to them and yet another strange phenomena; the sudden mass sightings of strange creatures in the same area. Though many of these creatures have reportedly been harmless, a few of them seem to be extraordinarily aggressive. Therefore, all travellers in affected regions are advised to use exceeding caution when out in the open. In response to the potential threat, local police forces have begun coordinating with army groups…"

"What rubbish," Dick scoffed. "Kory, are you sure you didn't accidently hand out tabloids today?"

"What are you talkin' bout, mister?" A sweet, feminine voice asked from behind the counter.

"These bloody portal storms! What is all this?" He asked incredulously.

Kory finished up cleaning the counter walked over towards her favorite patron and crush. Markus gazed up at her, his affection obviously mutual. And who could blame him? Kory was a beauty; a young, petite woman with long orange hair she was currently keeping neatly tied in a ponytail and a delightful personality. "You mean you haven't heard?"

"Nay, I've been sleepin' in today."

"Hmph, I figured you'd be the last person up in town and my last customer of the day like usual." Kory teased.

"Hey now, if I wasn't a lazy bum we'd never get any alone time together!"

Kory chuckled, "The way business has been lately, probably not."

Dick resisted the lead to change conversational topics and kept his mind focused on the paper, "Anyway, what were you sayin' bout this portal rubbish?"

"Well, late last night a runner came into town to warn us that we was in danger." Kory explained, her voice losing its normal cheerful tone. "He said this town was right in right in the center of four of those 'portals' or whatever they be calling them."

Dick's incredulous gaze did not waver, "Ya sure this bloke wasn't just some drunk?"

Kory shook her head. "No he was official, had his army identification n' everything. I don't thinks it's a hoax; be a fair bit of trouble to pull off."

Dick nodded, "True, true. Well damn, are they thinkin' those beasties may be a threat to the town?"

"Tis possible, sweetie." Her smile reformed on her face. "Which is why you need to get up n see me earlier tomorrow. Don't want any of them gobblin ya up in your sleep."

Dick chuckled, "Eh, may be a good alternative to the workload I've put on this week. I'm probably going to need a lot of your coffee to get it done."

"Light or extra strong?" Kory asked, her smile widening.

"Extra strong with excess sugar." Dick said, his own smile mischievous.

Their conversation was cut short by the distinct sound of a rifle report. It sounded like it had been shot at the edge of town.

"Well, looks like the beasties are here!" Dick announced.

Cyborg was sleeping on the half-circle couch in the Titan's main living room after a long night of video games, his form illuminated only by the moon and stars shining through the wall sized window in front of him. He awoke with a startle when a cold, electronic and feminine voice announced loudly, "Incoming Tramission."

"Ugh…. Why can't they ever take a night off…" He groaned as he walked over to the living room's computer terminal and punched in a few commands. He rubbed both of his eyes with his two fists, his robotic one out of habit. He removed them in time to see a face from long in the past on the main screen.

"Hey Cyborg!"

"What?" He gasped before punching a large blue button on the terminal. With a voice filled with excitement he said: "Titans, get your butts up and into the living room now!"

A moment later, his comrades shuffled in all looking half asleep as well. This somber state wore off immediately when they noticed who was on the monitor. It was Terra. She had called them.

"No way…" Robin said.

"How joyful! I knew you would return to us" Starfire beamed.

"Terra!" Beast Boy cried out, his face as bright as a boy's on Christmas. He dashed towards the computer, wishing he could reach his arms through it to give his former girlfriend the hug of her life. "I knew it! I knew it! I knew Slade's forgetful serum or whatever he used on you would wear off!"

"I know, I'm sorry I've been gone for so long Beast Boy." She said, her voice a mix between sadness and joy. She cocked an eyebrow, "Forgetful serum?"

"Huh? You mean it wasn't Slade who…"

"No, it wasn't me, Beast Boy." A cold voice announced.

Robin gasped, "No…"

"Surpris, surprise," Raven groaned sarcastically.

Robin growled, "What is this, Slade?"

"Patience, my apprentice," The monotone voice of their most hated enemy said before he himself entered the screen. Like usual, half his face was encased in blackness.

Terra nearly burst into tears as he did so, "I'm so sorry… he didn't give me any choice.. I don't-"

"You've done your job admirably, Terra." Slade said before two of his androids gagged the former Titan and dragged her off screen. "You see Titans, I've grown weary of this constant game, and since rebuilding my empire after my most unfortunate demise has been a bit…" He paused, looking for the right words, "problematic… I'm about ready for retirement. However, like any man I have a desire to leave a lasting legacy, and though I'm sure this city will always remember me, I believe my mark on five of its residents' memories could be a bit more... engraved."

"Quit beating around the bush, Slade!" Robin barked.

Slade smiled behind the mask, "You never change, Robin." He taunted. "I didn't just bring Terra here to get your attention; I brought her here because I intend to end her life while you watch."

"Y-You bastard! You wouldn't.. you can't!" Beast Boy cried.

"This is low, even for you Slade." Cyborg said, his eyebrow lowering.

"Really, Cyborg?" Slade taunted again. "Isn't capital punishment acceptable judgment for murder? And here I thought you believed in justice. However, I will give you a chance to stop me… I'm transmitting the coordinates of my position now. I'll see you soon, kids."

A map was brought up on the screen showing the location of Slade's hideout. It was in a wooded area outside the city. After a few seconds, the screen went black.

"Alright Titans, we need to be cautious on this one. We have to take it slow." Robin announced.

"Are you nuts! Terra's life is on the line here!" Beast Boy argued, his voice frantic. "We need to get over there now!"

"Easy Beast Boy, we all care about Terra here but I doubt Slade would just kill her to harm us or out of vengeance," Robin said, struggling to keep a calm voice for the sake of his team. "He _always _has an ulterior motive to whatever he does. This has to be a trap."

"What if for once he's not bluffing, though?" Raven piped in. "Did you hear his voice? It was filled with hatred. He obviously has a grudge against both us and Terra."

"That's true, but I don't think Slade is the type to ever let his emotions get to him to that extent. In the past he's killed but only to further his goals. He is and always has been a cold, calculating bastard."

"We're wasting time discussing this!" Beast Boy interjected. "If you think it's a trap Robin, hurry up and get a plan ready so we can get a move on."

Cyborg set a comforting hand on Beast Boy's shoulder, "Don't worry man, we'll rescue her and bring that asshole to long-overdue justice."

The Titans quickly left the tower and sped East towards the great forest, Robin formulating and then explaining a plan on the way. After only about twenty minutes they had covered thirty miles and were near their destination. At the coordinates was nothing but a small hatch on the ground covered by several fallen autumn leaves.

"This has to be it." Robin announced, examining the hatch. "Alright, you guys know the plan. Starfire and Beast Boy; you're with me. Raven and Cyborg; you stay topside and wait for my -"

"We know the plan, Robin." Beast Boy interrupted, his voice still showing signs of anxiety. "Let's get down there."

Robin nodded before opening the hatch. A vertical tunnel with a ladder on the side seemed to stretch down forever into a dark oblivion. "Beast Boy, you're sure you're up to this, right?"

Beast Boy nodded quickly, "Don't worry Robin, I'm not going to let my feelings get to me. I'm sorry for being so jumpy."

Robin smiled, "You don't need to apologize, and you're right we should get going. I don't think Slade will throw us any obstacles, but keep on your toes anyway."

And so they descended… and descended… and descended for what seemed like an eternity, Starfire's starbolt the only thing keeping the darkness at bay. They finally came to the end of the vertical tunnel and arrived at a long, dark hallway. Two standing sentry turrets on both sides were there to meet them. They quickly sounded a noisy alert and their barrels turned towards the trio. Before they could get a chance to fire, however, two star bolts slammed into them, melting them down to a pool of gray liquid.

"I take it back; Slade always did love to toy with us." Robin said spitefully. As if to respond to him, a television screen hanging on the wall blared to life. Slade's mask could be seen on it.

"Actually Robin, that's just my alarm system." Slade said matter-of-factly. "I'm afraid I didn't bother to equip this lair with the more non-lethal variety."

"Cute, Slade." Beast Boy replied. "How about you show yourself instead of letting your machines do the fighting like-"

"Don't worry Beast Boy, I never keep my guests waiting for too long." Slade interjected, his voice as arrogant as ever. "Go down the right hall facing away from the ladder until you reach the door at the end of it. Do hurry, I can't wait to see you again… _and neither can Terra."_ The screen went blank. The only light was once again coming from Starfire's starbolts.

"Son of a bitch…" Robin muttered before signaling his teammates to follow him down the long dark hallway.

Terra sat in the middle of a large, cylindrical, concrete room in a wooden chair, a rope securing her to it tightly and a gag preventing her from saying a word. Two Sladebots stood beside her, awaiting directives. A sudden pounding came from one of the only two entrances to the room before the steel door was thrown off its hinges by the horn of a rhinoceros. The Sladebots lifted their two machine guns and aimed at the doorway. Unfortunately for Sladebot #1, he found his trigger-finger could no longer operate when his right arm was severed from his torso by a bird-a-rang.

The three Titans entered the room and fanned out into different directions. Sladebot #2 opened fire on Robin with 950 rounds per minute. Robin ducked and rolled to avoid the maelstrom of bullets. The walls behind where he previously had been began to be torn up by the fierce barrage, sending chunks of and dust everywhere. Fortunately, before the robot could get a lock on the Boy Wonder, a starbolt slammed into its head, melting it, short-circuiting its entire system and causing his body to fall to the ground. Starfire sped towards the remaining armless Sladebot. It found himself grabbed the alien warrior and hurtled towards Beast Boy.

Beast Boy had anticipated this and morphed into his rhinoceros form once again. He caught the robot with his horn, impaling it through the chest. Sladebot #1 began convulsing as white lines of electricity cascaded about its body. After a few seconds, it went limp. Beat Boy casually tossed Slade's minion aside before transforming back to elf-form. He quickly rushed over to his former love along with Starfire and Robin. The latter quickly withdrew another birdarang and used it to cut the ropes off the chair while Beast Boy ripped the rag out of Terra's mouth.

She gasped, "Are you guys idiots! Why the hell did you come here!"

Beast Boy was unfazed by her verbal barrage and as tears fell from his eyes leapt towards Terra to embrace her. He wanted to say something… anything, but couldn't find the words for the situation. However, the look on his face was all that was needed.

Robin quickly opened his communicator, "Raven, do you have a fix on us?" He asked slightly frantically.

"I'm coming in now." Raven announced, her voice the usual monotone despite the situation. "Keep your shirt on."

"Terra… why are you so cold?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra ignored Beast Boy and instead faced Robin, "Why didn't Raven and Cyborg come with you?"

Robin cocked an eyebrow at this, "I left them behind as backup just in case we fell into a trap. However, I'm guessing it was only to come once we were to make our way out of here. However, I don't think Slade knew how easy we could get you out of here once we knew your location."

As he finished speaking a large, transparent raven appeared out of nowhere in the room. It dissipated, revealing Cyborg and Raven. They had teleported.

"On the contrary, Robin; I do" Slade's voice emanated from Terra's mouth. "I've been aware of that trick Raven has ever since it was used at the HIVE academy."

"What the Hell?" Beat Boy gasped before shedding his hug and leaping back as if Terra had been Slade himself.

The android in disguise of Terra quickly began to power down before collapsing on the floor. Its image began flickering in between it and Terra before finally deciding upon the normal, black-outfitted Sladebot. It had been using a hologram. Slade himself entered the room through the destroyed doorway. Two of his robotic minions followed dragging the real Terra, bound and gagged.

"It's so very easy to create a hologram when you have an actual person around to model it after." Slade said casually. "I'm so glad I could all make it here, it's been such a long time."

"You know we aren't too happy to see you, right?" Robin growled.

"I'm hurt Robin." Slade mocked. "An apprentice should always look forward to seeing his master."

"I'm not your apprentice." Robin replied coldly.

"Enough bullcrap Slade! Why did you want us here!" Beast Boy shouted.

"In truth, I only wanted two of you here." He said, his eye darting between two Titans in particular. "However, the presence of the rest of you is of little consequence. You see, for quite a while now I have been obsessed with morality and its relation to the afterlife. Are people born good or evil, or is it something we just... 'pick up' on the road to death? If the latter is true, is there judgment waiting for us there? If so," He paused for emphasis. "Can it be avoided? These questions have been with me for quite a while. I thought they would be answered when entering the service of my former master, but that only raised more questions. Truthfully, I still don't know if there is a heaven or a hell. I've theorized that my old 'master' may have been some sort of gatekeeper to the latter; which would explain how he 'rescued' me, though I can't be sure."

"By old master you mean Trigon?" Raven asked.

"Indeed, you wouldn't happen to have the answer to the question I seek, do you?" Slade asked.

Raven shook her head, "I know little of my 'father's' true nature other than what my mother told me."

"A pity." Slade responded, his voice actually showing a hint of sorrow.

"So… you're looking for immortality." Robin mused. "You're trying to avoid divine justice; if it exists."

"I merely seek answers." Slade replied. "Now, I may have finally found a way to gain them. For that I need help from more than just you actually… brace yourselves, we are about to take a little trip."


	2. New Arrivals

Around midday in the town of Taromak, an army group could be seen marching down Main Street. The soldiers marched in an eight by four column, taking up about half of the cobblestone path, their wooden rifles shouldered. Leading the march was a slender, golden-blonde haired beauty of a Solari Elf (High Elf) with a no-nonsense look upon her face. The people on Main Street parted as they passed while quietly forming conversations about the new arrivals. The police magistrate, a red-haired gentleman with a blue uniform meant the elf near the center of town, right near the café' Dick was still sitting in.

"Bloody Hell!" The police magistrate exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd get here so soon." He quickly dashed his hand out for a shake.

The Solari elf took it and shook it casually. "I am Colonel Linera Windwalker of Hellbound company. We have been ordered to stay here for a two day stay to defend against any incursions of hostiles."

"You mean the beasties?" The police magistrate asked.

"Yes, the 'beasties.'" She answered. "My company killed two of them on the outside of your town. They were very near its borders, where were you sentries?"

A virtual sweat drop appeared on the police magistrate's brow, "I er… didn't post any."

The elf lowered her long eyebrows. "You didn't post any."

"Well I didn't think it was too much of a serious-"

"Our runner did make it to this town, yes?" Linera asked bluntly.

"Why y-yes." The nervous magistrate stammered.

"Obviously any news dispatched by a military runner should be taken as significant." Linera said matter-of-factly. "Grab some coffee, magistrate, we need to get together to coordinate how to best rid the countryside of the menace that's threatening to overrun it."

"Just how dangerous are these damned things?" The magistrate asked, flabbergasted.

"Most of the creatures coming through the portals are harmless." Linera said assuringly, but was quick to add, "However, a few of them are much more dangerous than any wildlife in the local area. We've killed two of them that were over a story tall. It was pretty well armored too."

"By god." The magistrate gasped. "Miss, if ya don't mind me askin, quite a few residents in town are curious as to where these portals are linked to.."

"They're linked to the eastern woods as far as we know." Linera was quick to say, having rehearsed this line before. However, the magistrate was not keen on detecting liars and bought the story. Dick, however…

"Eastern woods, eh?" Dick mused. "Her response seemed a bit forced."

"Think she's a liar, sweetie? You always were good at spottin' em." Kory noted.

"She's definitely not tellin' the truth on them portals." Dick remarked. "Definitely not."

A sudden commotion in the ranks of the army group and the townsfolk on main street began when thunder crackled overhead.

"What the devil?" Dick exclaimed. "There aint a cloud in the bloody sky."

A ball of white glowing energy began forming two hundred meters above the center of Main Street. Lightning began cascading from it in all directions. Screams and turmoil followed as every man and woman on the street, including those that were part of the army, ducked for cover. They dashed into buildings, under street vendor's tables, anywhere that may prevent the deadly bolts of electricity from striking them.

An elderly gentleman was not so quick on his feet. A bolt struck very close to him, shocking him into an unconscious state. Seeing this, Dick immediately dashed outside, despite his better judgment, to the center of the street, knowing that at any second he could be the next victim. He managed to make it to the older gentleman and was able to check his pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the man still had a beat. In the meantime, the police magistrate and Linera watched from a nearby shop, the latter with cool and calculating eyes.

In an impressive show of strength for his light build, Dick managed to place the old man over his shoulder. He moved as quickly as he could back to the safety of the café, white streaks of lightning crashing all around him. His feet began to feel funny as residual electricity travelled through the stone and entered his body. Nevertheless he pressed on, the green eyes of Kory being his beacon out of the storm. One last bolt of lightning struck the ground closer than it ever did, forcing his legs to crumble as electricity surged through his body. He managed to set the old man down with his last bit of strength before he collapsed onto his stomach.

Luckily, that was the end of the storm. The ball of energy in the sky began to expand, flatten, and become transparent. Its radius reached about 30 meters before it finally stopped widening. There was now a hole in the sky whose center seemed to be composed of blue and green liquids swirling about. Its outline resembled a circle of electrical energy, fluctuating violently but never too widely.

As soon as she was certain it was clear, Kory rushed outside and quickly turned her crush over. Remarkably, he was breathing and after a second his eyes flickered open. Kory sighed with relief. "Always the hero, eh?"

"Just can't help myself sometimes." Dick said before coughing a few times. "What smells like burned bacon?" Dick asked before sniffing himself. "Oh."

Kory rolled her eyes before moving over to the elderly gentleman who was just coming to.

"W-what happened?" He asked, moving his head about a bit. Kory held out a hand to help him to his feet.

"You were struck by a bolt of lightning. I can't believe you're already on your feet!" She said as she helped him to them.

"Well, can't say I haven't felt worse I suppose." The old man said nonchalantly. He was quick to spot the hole in the sky out of his peripheral. "What the hell is that?" He asked, pointing to it. A flash of light followed.

"The real question is who the hell are they?" Dick asked, now on his feet and pointing at eight figures who had just appeared in the center of town. They were unlike anyone he had seen before. Five were in one group who all appeared to be teenagers. There was a young man whose hair seemed to be able to defy gravity, an orange haired girl with orange skin to match (who looked a bit like Kory), a raven haired girl whose skin seemed to be as pale as a ghost, a taller young man who appeared to be part machine, and a furry green young elf.

They all seemed to be glaring at a large masked man in some sort of mercenary outfit who stood near two other men wearing black suits. The two men held what looked like firearms to the head of a young looking blonde-haired girl on her knees. A small pile of wooden crates also could be seen near them.

Thirty soldiers quickly surrounded them from all angles, bayonets fixed. "Bloody hell, I knew it! Those portals are a precursor to an invasion army!" One amongst them shouted.

Another one groaned, "Ugh, keep your conspiratorial nonsense to yourself Harry. Most of them look like they're teenagers. My, what a terryfing army. "

"Will you idiots shut up!" Linera Windwalker barked before taking a bold step towards the new arrivals.

"Yes ma'm." They both piped in unison.

The group paid Linera no attention and were instead looking about, studying their new surroundings she assumed.

"What the hell Slade, your plan was to take us back in time?" Robin remarked, gazing at the cobble-stone street, horse-drawn caravans, and people wearing oldish clothes all around him.

"This was not exactly my intended destination." Slade admitted "However, I believe we are near it…."

"Wherever we are, can you let Terra go already?" Beast Boy demanded.

"Not just yet, Beast Boy."

"Whoever you are, do not attempt to make a move!" A feminine voice shouted from the crowd.

Robin, in the meantime was examining his surroundings. The soldiers were all wearing a strange gray uniform much like those the confederates wore out of the civil war with a small iron serpent attached to the upper-right of it. Their rifles seemed very old-school as well, wooden and fixed with bayonets.

However, he knew they couldn't possibly be in the old South for 1. Some of them had British-like cockney accents and another a Russian accent and 2. Not all of them were entirely human. Some had pointed ears like him but did not have green fur; they looked somewhat like elves in the Lord of the Rings. A few others were human, all Caucasian. He could have swore he saw a few dwarves in there as well. One other looked completely different from anything he'd ever seen, a strange bipedal hulking beast with four arms, two much larger and muscular than the others. Its torso was bulky and its face looking somewhat like a vampire bat. It was a creature of nightmares yet nobody seemed to react to it in any way. What the hell was this place?

"We aren't in the past, are we Slade?" Robin stated.

Slade smiled under the mask, "More astute than ever, aren't we Robin?… oh how they grow up so fast…"

Robin was disgusted by that statement. His enemy was acting even creepier than usual, constantly referring to the Titans as his children. Slade turned to the origin of the one who shouted at them to freeze, most likely the go-to person.

"Are you the commander here?" He asked a blonde-haired elf of sorts.

"That I am." Linera replied.

"Good, than may I bother you with a question?" He asked.

"One question, and then I have a few of my own." She stated.

"Very well." Slade said. "Is this Astermis?"

Linera paused for a second before answering, "Yes, it is." She said slowly. "Where do you hail from? And why did that boy mention something about being in the past?"

"The west." Slade answered on a whim. "I mean no offense by saying this, but our cities are a bit more advanced than yours. It was a simple mistake to make."

Robin growled before shouting, "He's ly-"

"Silence!"Linera barked, causing Robin to shut his mouth. She lowered her eyebrows, "Why did you come here? Do you have anything to do with these portals?"

"I am not the cause of these portals. However, I come with a purpose. I need to speak with Premier Dent immediately. "

Linera chuckled at that. "You're not seeing anyone until you're thoroughly interrogated. Who are those with you?" She asked, pointing at the five Titans.

"Accomplices," Slade said. "I will need them to come with me."

"Don't listen to him!" Robin interjected, ignoring Linera's call to shut-up. "He forced us to come here! He's a power-hungry criminal and can't be trusted!"

Linera lowered her eyebrows, studying the eight of them. The bound girl was near the man with the metal mask when they arrived which did lend evidence towards.

"I will speak to a representative from both parties in private." Linera announced. "You first." She pointed to Slade. She than pointed to a the police station nearby, "In there. Make any attempts to escape and you will be fired upon"

"Very well." Slade said, his voice as calm as ever.

Slade began walking over towards the police station, a number of soldiers following his movements with their rifles.

"Robin, do you have any idea where we are?" Starfire asked.

Robin shrugged, "I don't know… it looks like we're in some sort of old town, but that can't be true unless history just forgot that elves and…" He shot a glance at the abomination amongst the soldiers, "…monsters lived side by side humans." The monster seemed to notice the glance and its snake-like slits for eyes narrowed. "I think we need to get out of here though, Slade knows more about this place than us. He obviously came here with a purpose and seems to know what he's doing. I think it's more likely they'll believe whatever he says over whatever we say. Raven, do you think you could knock those guns" He pointed to Slade's minions "out of those robots' hands and then shield us from gunfire while we make a break for it?"

Raven nodded an attempted to perform a bit of magic. Dark energy encircled her hand before flickering out after a brief millisecond. She immediately collapsed on her knees, bringing fingers up to her forehead as if she was suffering a migraine.

"Raven?" Robin asked, kneeling down beside her. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded, taking a few deep, painful breaths. After a few seconds she raised to her feet again, her head still throbbing. "I don't think my powers are working, Robin." She said in an almost embarrassed tone.

"Are you sure?" Robin asked.

Raven nodded before a thought occurred to her, "Wait, let me try meditating."

She began whispering her normal chant. In the meantime, the soldiers were joined by many of the townsfolk.

"What the hell is she doing whisperin' to herself like that?" A soldier asked another.

The other soldier merely shrugged, as baffled as anyone at the odd strangers. "I dunno. You know what's weird though? I always thought aliens would look a bit differen' from us." Another soldier remarked.

"You twat, they're obviously extra-dimensional beings." The second soldier argued.

"What makes you say that? Maybe they came from another planet via those portals instead of cylinders like in the novel."

"And what are the chances that they'd look like humans?"

"Infinite universe means infinite chances of there being humanoid lifeforms out there, smart one!"

"Pffft, astronomy is such a bogus science. Like they know if the universe if infinite or not."

"My powers seem to be working, Robin." Starfire whispered with a small, barely visible starbolt formed in her palm.

"Not sure if fighting our way out of here is the best option, Star." Cyborg said. "Those guns they're using may look old but they have the advantage of numbers."

"There's Slade's lackies too." Robin said, motioning at the motionless Sladebots. "I don't think they'd just let us waltz over, grab Terra, and leave."

"So, what do we do?" Starfire asked.

Robin thought for a moment before saying, "We'll have to play t-that elf's game or whatever she is until Raven's good to go. Hopefully she'll believe us over Slade."

A moment or so later, Slade and Linera exited the police headquarters. Almost immediately, Linera ordered two of her soldiers over to one of the crates Slade had brought with him. They walked over, keeping a wary eye on the two Sladebots who were still holding a now-struggling Terra. Using their bayonets they quickly pried open the wooden crate to reveal it was a cache of MP7 submachine guns. They both looked at them oddly before reaching in to draw one.

"Is this the thing?" The soldier asked Slade.

"Indeed." Slade replied.

"Hand it to me, Maybourne, but not before you close up the crate. Shoot anyone who goes near it." Linera ordered. The soldier quickly complied. Linera examined the weapon for a moment before finally giving up on figuring it out herself.

"How do you use this thing?" She asked Slade, and the armored mercenary quickly explained the features of the weapon. Linera then pointed into towards the horizon, away from the portal above. She shouldered it and pulled down the trigger. To her amazement, twenty reports seemed to come from it all in a matter f two seconds. It was faster than even the gattling guns their army used. A smile crept onto her face as the shock wore off. She felt the power of the device she was holding, a device that could wipe out an entire squadron in the blink of the eye. The technology was beyond anything she had ever seen. She gazed at the two soldiers under the command of Slade and knew that if the mercenary wanted to he could have fought his way out if he needed.

"This is… amazing." She remarked. She gazed at Slade. "Very well, it seems you may have been telling the truth."

"Like I said, I'm only here to help Astermis." Slade repeated.

Linera then turned her attention to the group of teenagers. "Whoever represents you come with me, now."

Robin was quick to step forward. Linera led towards the police station and the crowd around him parted all wearing curious and slightly fearful expressions on their faces. One man in particular would not avert his gaze, a man who could very well have been an older version of him with long black hair.

"I don't like this." Dick whispered to Kory, gazing back and forth between the gun Linera was holding and Robin. "I think I'm going to need a bit more sugar in my coffee."

In the meantime, Robin had entered the police station. After a quick walk through a lobby he made his way to a private interrogation room in the back complete with only a table and a chair. There didn't seem to be any windows for external viewing unlike most rooms of these types. Robin sat down in the chair as Linera moved to the other side of the table to face him.

"Where are you all really from?" She asked.

Robin shrugged as he looked her straight in the eyes, "We're not from this planet, I can say that."

"I take it you've never really heard of Astermis before then."

Robin's mask thinned. "Where are we exactly. What planet?"

Linera smiled slightly, "Planet Rallas. And the name of yours?"

"Earth."

"Why are you so clueless but your friend is not?" She asked in a suspicious tone.

"I don't know. We're not friends with him though, I can tell you that. We're a team of superheroes. That man is our polar opposite. The city we protected has been constantly harassed and tormented by him ever since he first crawled out of whatever hole he had been in, and so have we. The only reason we are here at all is because he lured us into a trap and then activated some sort of device."

"Super heroes?" She asked, a smirk forming on her face.

Robin nodded. "On our world crime is a major problem; Many with special abilities beyond those of normal people often rise to the challenge of thinning it."

"So this man, what's his name… Slade(?), is a criminal." She stated as if she was on to something. Robin nodded slowly. "What would you say his goals are?"

"Well, he usually wants nothing but power." Robin stated flatly.

"And on your world power would be hard to achieve for him despite his obvious intelligence?" She asked.

"No, he could gain power through other means, but not the kind of power he wants. He desires complete control over people. He came close to conquering half of an entire nation, once. I know what you're thinking, but he did not come here just so he could get a political position in your government, that's not what he wants. There'd be way too many people telling him what he should and shouldn't do. However, I don't even think power is his goal here. He wants something else."

"Like…" Linera trailed off.

"I'm not sure. Something to do with discovering whether or not there was divine judgment waiting for him after death… this sounds nuts, doesn't it?" Robin admitted.

"Yes…" Linera replied. "Though I will take your advisement under consideration. However, at the moment all I have is your word versus his." She turned away from Robin, pacing to and from the door to the room, obviously in deep thought. After a while she finally spoke, "At the moment, my nation has been blockaded by two powerful forces from the West and the South. We do not know their true motives for doing so but we feel it could be a preparation for invasion. If this invasion happens…" She paused, "our nation most likely not be able to defend ourselves. That is unacceptable. If we don't find an adequate defense…" She trailed off again, "Well let's just say the nation blockading us from the south is very fond of slave labor."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Robin said sorrowfully, but was quick to add, "But still, you should complete this deal with Slade. I can say that he definitely does not have your best interests in mind and will likely screw you over the first chance he gets."

"Perhaps…" Linera pondered. "However, I've agreed to take him to our Premiere, Harvey Dent. He claims to have already been in contact with him. Therefore, I'll let the Premiere make the final decision. Personally, I'm all for this deal. We need those weapons if we're to survive this war. Not only that, but Slade seems to know how to end these portal storms that have been plaguing us."

"Really convenient that he'd know how, isn't it? How long have these 'portal storms' been raging" Robin asked. Linera merely ignored him.

"He wants me to take you all with us to our capital city. If we don't, he says there won't be any deal."

Robin sighed, Slade had won again. "You do not know what you're getting yourselves into by dealing with him."

"Perhaps, but we do know what we will be getting ourselves into if we don't."


	3. The Long and Winding Road

It was now around 5PM Robin estimated as they left the small town of Taromak, escorted by Linera's army group. It wasn't as he expected, there wasn't any chains binding his arms nor any other measures to prevent them from escaping other than the five main Titans being kept at different sections of the marching column; surrounded. Robin knew why though, Slade still had Terra right by his side as a hostage, her being kept at the front of the column. She walked between Slade's two henchmen and his Linera and Slade stood beside them, conversing about this and that.

They walked down a long, unending dirt road in the middle of a sparsely populated area composed mainly of farming fields. Robin could occasionally hear a gunshot or two, but was unable to determine the origin. He concluded the reports were likely meant to take down the mindless monsters that had been emerging near the portals. Taromak itself had been largely evacuated due to the close proximity of one of the 'skyholes', as some called them. The residents were currently moved to a safer town not far away from it. Linera had left a few soldiers to escort the civilians as well as eliminate any hostiles that crept into the town.

Robin wiped the sweat away from his brow. It was late Autumn back on Earth, and now he wasn't well adjusted for the summer on Rallas.

"How far away is the capital city?" Robin asked a nearby soldier, who seemed to be sweating just as much as he was.

"Not too sure to be honest, maybe a two days march." He replied. "Hope the sun will stop taking its bloody time to fall, I can't take this heat much longer."

"Heh, you and me both." Robin admitted with a slight smile. The soldier seemed friendly enough; perhaps there was a ground for some form of relationship.

"I don't mean to pry, but what do those serpents on your chests represent?" Robin asked, observing the small, iron-looking slithering snake pinned on the the soldier's uniform.

"Oh this?" The soldier said, looking down at it as if he forgot he had it on at all. "It's just the symbol for the army, is all, we are called the Iron Serpent Army." The soldier paused before chuckling. "Bit of a pretentious name if you ask me, makes us sound like a bunch of badasses."

Robin chuckled a bit, "Heh, your Colonel sure seems to be one though." Robin noted.

"Who, Linera?" The soldier said with a slight smile, "She's a hardass, though I won't really go as far as to call her a badass." He leaned in closer to Robin before whispering, "She's a bloody witch from what I hear. People say she's more worried bout her glory than casualties."

"I see." Robin whispered back, nodding slightly. He was a bit surprised to hear this. Linera didn't seem like a bad person, just a very pragmatic one. Perhaps this soldier had heard wrong?

The soldier opened his mouth and shut it quickly afterwards, as if he wanted to say something else. Finally, he asked, "I don't wish to sound rude or ignorant or nuthin', but why are you all dressed so funny-like?"

"Nono, you're fine." Robin said with a no-big-deal tone, "People who have our occupation on-" He paused, remembering something Linera had said to him,

_"Tell any of my soldiers where you're really from and I swear to god I will rip your-"_

"Er, where I come from tend to dress like us." Robin said, sweat dropping. The soldier threw him an odd look.

"Where _are_ all of you from, anywho?" He asked.

"The west." Robin said, simpering, "From the great city of… Hyrule."

"Hyrule eh? Never heard of it before." The soldier remarked, his voice not full of suspicion like Robin had dreaded it would be. "Must be pretty far away, eh?"

"Yes, far far away." Robin said before frantically trying to think of a change of conversation. "So uh, how long have these portal storms been going on?" Robin asked, silently thanking the heavens for the idea.

"Oh those bloody things…" The soldier groaned. "About a week ago, I think? Hard to tell since it takes a few days for word to spread round the nation. Anyway, a lot of people are thinking they may have been caused by Railon army mages using some sort of magic."

_Magic? This planet wasn't too different from Earth after all._

"The Railons?" Robin asked, obviously unfamiliar with them.

"Yeah, big ole nation made mainly of well… Rallans to the South."

"Original name for the place." Robin noted. The soldier chuckled.

"True, but they're definitely no laughing matter. Bloody race of warriors they are and they're definitely more tec-" He stuttered, trying to pronounce the word, "technol-" He tried again before grunting, "-more advanced than we are. My brother once told me that when he went off to fight the blokes in one of our border wars they made mincemeat out of a force of a thousand with just three hundred men, and the Railons were on the offensive, too."

_No wonder Linera is so afraid of facing them._

"Who's your other enemy?" Robin asked, thinking of the force from the West the colonel had mentioned.

"Tailclaire, a mix bag of dark and forest elves." The soldier explained. "They aint too advanced but they're pretty damned good shots with those bows they use." He paused before lifting his light cloth sleeve to show Robin a rather vicious looking scar. "Damned good shots." He said in a half-whisper. "They aint too bad with magic either. Lots of people think it twas them and not the Railons who started them portal storms." He shrugged. "Could have been both for all anyone knows. They both are blockading us so common sense says they're in cahoots."

The man seemed quite into rumors about the portal storms. Robin debated with himself for a few moments before deciding against trying to turn him against Slade by mentioning that it was odd that a man who knew how to fix the storms would turn up conveniently. He didn't want to make the soldier think he was trying to influence him against his orders. It could have lost him a potential ally. The two of them continued conversing as the trail went on… and on… and on.

**Sorry for the short chapter :(. Unfortunately, character creation is kind of out of it until one more chapter which will give a true view as to what the world really is like.**


End file.
